Why Skipping Late Night Screens is a Good Idea
By Genevieve Cunningham
In today's world, we often fall asleep with our phones in our hand. The thought of going to bed without some sort of device running is probably a crazy thought. No TV? No phone? No iPad? Sounds like the stone age. But in all seriousness, putting in a lot of screen time at night may not be the best idea. In fact, it might be a really bad idea. If you're guilty of staring at a screen before bed, take a look at these reasons why skipping late night screens is a good idea.
It Gives Your Eyes a Rest
Screens aren't great for the eyes. In fact, they can be really bad for the eyes. It wears them out, and over time, it can even damage your eyesight. If you stop looking at screens at night, it can give your eyes a much needed rest. In the long run, it may actually save the health of your eyes, your vision, and keep them in much better condition overall.
It Allows Your Mind to Wind Down
Screens keep the mind wound up. It keeps them engaged and thinking and worrying. If you get off the screen, your mind has the opportunity to wind down before bed. And winding down has been shown to lead to better, deeper, more restful sleep. If you find yourself having trouble sleeping or feeling exhausted more often than not, consider turning off the screen and allowing that break for your mind to happen every night.
It Actually Lowers Stress
Screens are stressful. Maybe it's not actually the screens themselves, but rather what we do on the screens. We watch the news -- stressful. We get on social media -- stressful. We stay up too late and stay constantly exhausted -- stressful. By turning off the screens, even for a short period of time at night, we can lower our stress and potentially improve our overall health in the process.
Believe it or not, you don't have to wind down with a screen. You can use a book or some music or a puzzle -- or anything at all! Give yourself a break and skip the late night screens. You may find that once you get used to it, you feel better overall and won't want to turn back to old habits at all.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Lake Worth, Fla.